Microsoft Open Value Non-Companywide is the simplest of the three Open Value options. The other two, ‘Companywide’ and ‘Subscription’ (see later entries), require an enterprise-wide commitment to certain products and a minimum of five desktops to qualify for the scheme. The Non-Companywide scheme is for organisations who do not want to commit enterprise-wide to any one or more products. The scheme includes Software Assurance as standard (there is no Licence-only option) and has an initial entry requirement of five products (licences with Software Assurance and/or a Software Assurance renewal) of any mix.

Having met the initial entry requirements, the scheme runs for three years during which further products can be added to the scheme, one or more at a time, as required. Payment can be spread over the three year term or paid up front. Although the scheme expires, once all payments have been made, the licences purchased are perpetual at the version last released under the Software Assurance cover and may be used indefinitely. This scheme does not apply to Academic Institutions but there is a single advantageous GOVT (Government) pricing band for eligible entities. Further details on eligibility and providing formal evidence are identified under the 'Public Sector' section.

Open Value Licensing may be sold to the UK and qualifying EU and EFTA countries only (except for Public Sector options which are only available to the UK). Clients in other regions must acquire licences in those regions.

For further details click to expand

To Qualify: The initial purchase must be for at least five products (any product mix), though there are some exceptions where a single product qualifies (for example SQL Core licences and Visual Studio with an MSDN Subscription). For this scheme, the inclusion of Software Assurance does not change the item count.

Products Included: All commercially available Microsoft software products on the product list including Monthly Subscriptions, Online Services and Step-Up options.

License Offerings: Products are available as Licence and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance renewals. It is not possible to purchase licences only on this scheme.

Software Assurance Option: Software Assurance on this scheme is included as standard. The Software Assurance runs for the duration of the scheme and may be renewed when the scheme expires. Any licences with Software Assurance added during the scheme would not get the full three year benefit. For more details on this scheme and it's benefits, please read the Software Assurance PDF

Pricing: There is a single price band, with an initial minimum order of five products to qualify (some exceptions). Where payment is split over the remaining years of the scheme, the price of the first payment is protected for the anniversary payment(s). Products added in years two or three will not include the Software Assurance component charge for full years that have already passed but the licence component of the charge does not reduce, it is just split over a reduced number of years.

Agreement Term: Three years, renewable. Products can be added to the scheme, but once a product is added it cannot subsequently be removed - payments must continue to completion. When an Open Value Non-Companywide Licence scheme expires, the Licences are perpetual (except for Online Services), but any Software Assurance/Subscription component also expires and can optionally be renewed on to a new instance of the scheme or another appropriate scheme. The Software Assurance renewal must be actioned within 30 days of the agreement expiring. Failure to renew within the required timescale would lead to the option being forfeited and Software Assurance would have to be purchased with new licences.

Payment Options: With this scheme, the user has the option of splitting the payments on a per year basis (making anniversary payments in years two and three with protected pricing) or paying in full at the time of purchase. Where payments are split over the remaining years of the scheme, anniversary payments must be made at the start of each subsequent scheme year. Products added during the scheme must be paid for at the time of purchase and if the payment is split it will tie in with normal anniversary payment dates for subsequent years. Failure to make anniversary payments in a timely fashion may result in the Agreement being terminated with no perpetual licence rights.

Product Fulfilment: Licence Notifications are issued by email and the Licence Administrator registers on the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website to gain access to software downloads and licence keys. Some special cases apply.

Open Value (OLV) Companywide

Microsoft Open Value Companywide offers additional cost savings over Open Value Non-Companywide pricing, and is a program for small to midsize companies (and eligible UK Government bodies) who want to standardise on key Microsoft products across the organisation. The scheme gives simplified licence management and better control of licensed product costs. The Companywide scheme is for businesses with a minimum of five desktops where the customer commits enterprise-wide to one or more of a set of key Qualifying desktop products. The scheme includes Software Assurance as standard (there is no Licence-only option) and has the New Version rights and other benefits associated with that.

Having met the qualifying entry requirements, there is a large range of additional products that can be licensed without the enterprise-wide obligation. The scheme runs for three years during which period further products can be added to the scheme one or more at a time. Although the scheme expires, once all payments have been made the licences purchased are perpetual at the version last released under the software assurance cover and may be used indefinitely.

This scheme does not apply to Academic Institutions but there is a single advantageous Level D GOVT (Government) pricing band for eligible entities which applies to Qualifying and Additional products. Further details on eligibility and providing formal evidence are identified under the 'Public Sector' section.

Open Value Licensing may be sold only to the UK and qualifying EU and EFTA countries only (except for the Public Sector options which are only available to the UK). Clients in other regions must acquire licences in those regions.

For further details click to expand

To Qualify: The customer must declare the number of desktops in the enterprise (certain exceptions may be permitted) and then purchase at least one Qualifying product for all those desktops, subject to a minimum of five desktops. As new desktops are added, the customer must purchase the additional Qualifying product licences, there is no period of free use. Each anniversary payment will be for the then current number of desktops. The number cannot be reduced.

As of the 1 April 2014, Software Assurance is no longer offered on Windows Professional Upgrade licences or on Retail/Full Packaged Products. Currently the only option to have Software Assurance on a Windows Upgrade licence would be to purchase Windows Enterprise with Software Assurance.

As of the 1 December 2014, the Office 365 ProPlus and Enterprise E1, E3 and E4 plans will become Qualifying products for the Open Value Subscription and Open Value Company-Wide schemes.

Operating System: Windows Enterprise* with Software Assurance, with or without MDOP.

*Windows Enterprise on Volume Licensing is always an Upgrade (not a full stand-alone licence) and requires that the client has a legitimate full-licence foundational operating system on the device, usually an OEM edition acquired with the device.

When a customer takes products from all of the three qualifying groups (Office, CAL and Operating System) then a 'Platform' discount is applied to the pricing.

Additional Software Products: In addition to the Qualifying products, all commercially available Microsoft software products on the product list, including Monthly Subscriptions and Online Services, are available as required. On this scheme it is not possible to take Additional products without having made the Qualifying product commitment.

Licensing Offerings: Products are available as Licence and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance renewals.

Software Assurance Option: Software Assurance on this scheme is included as standard. The Software Assurance runs for the duration of the scheme and may be renewed when the scheme expires. Licences with Software Assurance added during the scheme would not get the full three year benefit. For more details on this scheme and it's benefits, please read the Software Assurance PDF

Pricing:

There are two price bands for the Companywide scheme:

For Qualifying Products

Entry Level (NL): applies where the initial desktop quantity is 5-249

Level C: applies where the initial desktop quantity is 250+

For Additional Products:

The initial purchase level of the Qualifying products determines which band applies to Additional products, but there is no obligation on the quantity of Additional products ordered. Where payment is split over the remaining years of the scheme, the price of the first payment is protected for the anniversary payment(s).

Agreement Term: Three years, renewable. Products can be added to the scheme, but once a product is added it cannot subsequently be removed - payments must continue to completion. When an Open Value Companywide Licence scheme expires the licences are perpetual, but any Software Assurance/Subscription component also expires and can optionally be renewed on to a new instance of the scheme or another appropriate scheme. The Software Assurance renewal must be actioned within 30 days of the agreement expiring. Failure to renew within the required timescale would lead to the option being forfeited and Software Assurance would have to be purchased with new licences.

Payment Options: With this scheme, the user has the option of splitting the payments on a per year basis (making anniversary payments in years two and three with protected pricing) or paying in full at the time of purchase. Where payments are split over the remaining years of the scheme, anniversary payments must be made at the start of each subsequent scheme year. Products added during the scheme must be paid for at the time of purchase and if the payment is split it will tie in with normal anniversary payment dates for subsequent years. Failure to make anniversary payments in a timely fashion will result in the Agreement being terminated with no perpetual licence rights.

Product fulfilment: Licence Notifications are issued by email and the Licence Administrator registers on the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website to gain access to software downloads and licence keys.

Open Value Subscription (OVS)

Microsoft Open Value Subscription is similar to Open Value Companywide as a program for small to midsize companies (and eligible UK Government bodies) who want to standardise on key Microsoft products across the organisation, but who want the lower cost of ‘renting’ the software - the licences are not perpetual. The scheme gives simplified licence management and better control of licensed product costs. The Subscription scheme is for businesses with a minimum of five desktops where the customer commits all desktops, enterprise-wide, to one or more of a set of key Qualifying desktop products. There is also a large range of Additional products that can be licensed but these can be taken in any quantity with no enterprise-wide obligation. The scheme includes Software Assurance as standard (there is no Licence-only option) and has the New Version rights and other benefits associated with that while the scheme is active. Having met the initial entry requirements, the scheme runs for three years during which period further products can be added to the scheme.

For Qualifying products payments are made on a per year basis and the customer reports the number of desktops in the enterprise at the end of each year (up or down, subject to not going below the minimum of five) and makes the anniversary payment for the subsequent year until the scheme expires. All benefits cease when the scheme expires - there are no perpetual licence rights. However, the customer will have the option to progress a ‘Buy-out’ of the licences, renew the scheme for one or three years, switch to a different scheme, or stop using the products altogether.

Additional products must be paid for as they are taken, also on a per year payment basis. There is no free-use period, and the full year is paid if you add during a year. Additional products also must be reported each anniversary, but the quantity does not have to be enterprise-wide and they can be taken, increased or dropped each year as required, though if dropped no licence entitlement remains.

There is a single advantageous Level D GOVT (Government) pricing band for eligible entities, and this applies to Qualifying and Additional products. The minimum qualification is five desktops - there is no higher quantity band. Further details on eligibility and providing formal evidence are identified at the end of this document under the 'Public Sector' section.

Open Value Licensing may be sold to the UK and qualifying EU and EFTA countries only. (Clients in other regions must acquire licences in those regions.)

For further details click to expand

To Qualify: The customer must declare the number of desktops in the enterprise (certain exceptions may be permitted) and then purchase at least one Qualifying product for all of those desktops, subject to a minimum of five desktops.

As of the 1 April 2014, Software Assurance is no longer offered on Windows Professional Upgrade licences or on Retail/Full Packaged Products. Currently the only option to have Software Assurance on a Windows licence would be to purchase Windows Enterprise with Software Assurance.

As of the 1 December 2014, the Office 365 ProPlus and Enterprise E1, E3 and E4 plans will become qualifying products for the Open Value Subscription and Open Value Company-Wide schemes.

Operating System: Windows Enterprise* with Software Assurance, with or without MDOP.

*Windows Enterprise on Volume Licensing is always an Upgrade (not a full stand-alone licence) and requires that the client has a legitimate full-licence foundational operating system on the device, usually an OEM edition acquired with the device.

When a customer takes products from all of the three qualifying groups (Office, CAL and Operating System) then a 'Platform' discount is applied to the pricing.

When deploying additional desktops, you may install the Qualifying products taken at the start of the scheme onto the additional desktops without charge until the desktop quantity is reported at the next anniversary. While the quantity of Qualifying products can be amended at each anniversary (up or down), you are not permitted to drop the products altogether (below the minimum of five) and are committed to them until the end of the scheme.

Additional Software Products: In addition to the Qualifying products, most commercially available Microsoft software products on the product list, including Monthly Subscriptions and Online Services, are available as required. These may be taken in any quantity, as required, there is no enterprise-wide obligation, but the level of initial commitment on the Qualifying products will determine which Additional product pricing band applies. On this scheme it is not possible to take Additional products without having made the Qualifying product commitment.

Licensing Offerings: Licence with Software Assurance only.

Software Assurance Option: Software Assurance on this scheme is included as standard. Software Assurance coverage is in effect until the end of the three year (or possibly one year) term of the scheme - it expires with the scheme but Licences with Software Assurance can be renewed (on a new scheme). For more details on this scheme and it's benefits, please read the Software Assurance PDF

Pricing:

There are two price bands for the Open Value Subscription scheme:

For Qualifying Products

Entry Level (NL): applies where the initial desktop quantity is 5-249

Level C: applies where the initial desktop quantity is 250+ on the initial order

For Additional Products:

The initial purchase level of the Qualifying products determines which band applies to Additional products, but there is no obligation on the quantity of Additional products ordered.

UTD - Up-to-Date Allowance: Applicable to Qualifying products only. In the first year only of the scheme a 50% discount can be applied to the rental fee for each Qualifying product for which you have an existing fully paid up perpetual licence (Volume, Retail or OEM). The product(s) for which you may claim UTD must be equivalent in edition and must be at the current version or one previous. For example, at present, if you are taking Office Professional Plus then your current licence must be Office Professional 2010 or 2013 (not Office Standard), and if you are taking Windows Professional then the current licences must be for Windows 8 Professional or Windows 7 Professional. (Note that Home Editions would not qualify). Special rules apply if you are taking one of the Platform suites. The full pricing applies in years two and three.

Once UTD has been claimed it cannot be claimed for any subsequent (renewal) agreement. UTD does not apply to Additional products.

Agreement Term: Three years, renewable for three years. On Open Value Subscription the licences are not perpetual, so Software Assurance Renewal does not apply. When an OVS scheme expires after three years, the customer has the following options:

Stop using the software and remove it from your systems

Purchase licences on an alternative scheme

Renew onto a new OVS scheme (still renting non-perpetual licences)

Buy-Out your current OVS licences

Payment Options: Annual payments only.

Product fulfilment: Licence Notifications are issued by email and the Licence Administrator registers on the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website to gain access to software downloads and licence keys.